Positive fuse-percussion.



W. L. SIMPSON. POSITIVE FUSE PERCUSSION.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 30. I917- Patented June 26, 1917.

WILLIAM L. SIMPSON, 0F CRUM LYNNE, PENNSYLVANTA.

POSITIVE FUSE-PERCUSSION.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 26, 1917.

Application filed March 30, 1917. Serial No. 158,608.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, WILLIAM L. SIMPSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Crum Lynne, in the county of Delaware and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Positive F use-Percussion, of

which the following'is a specification,

The present invention appertains to fuse percussions for explosive projectiles, and aims to provide a novel and improved device of that character which enables the projectile to which it is applied to be handled in safety, without danger of premature explosion," and which is set to armed position, when the shell is fired, thereby providing a positive priming of the explosive when the shell reaches its destination or strikes an object.

It is also the object of the invention to provide a positive fuse percussion device which is comparatively'simple and inexpensive in construction, as well as being thoroughly practical, reliable, and eflicient in use.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the description proceeds, the invention resides in the-combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed, can be made within the scope of what is claimed, without departing from the spirit of the invention.

The inventionis illustrated in the accompanying drawing, wherein Figure 1 is an elevation of the device.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged diametrical section thereof, portions bein shown in elevation.

Fig. 3 is a cross sectlon on the line 33 of Fig.

The device embodies a hollow cylindrical housing 1' of suitable material provided at its forward end with an inturned flange 2 from which a neck or boss 3 projects forwardly and a boss 4 projects rearwardly within the housing 1. Said bosses 3 and 4 provide a tubular member for housing the firing pin 6, the rear end of the boss 4 having an inturned annular lip 5. The firmg in 6 embodies a'cylindrical body or plunger slidable within the tubular member '34, and a point 8 projecting from the rear end of the plunger 7. Y

In order to retain the firing pin in safety or disarmed position during the handling of the shell to which the device iS applied,

whereby to prevent premature explosion, the plunger 71s provided with an annular circumferentlal groove 9 in which a split rermg having. a tendency mg tapered rearwardly, as at 11. The boss or nec 3 is provided with an inner annular groove 12 whose rear wall is tapered or beveled to fit the tapered portion of the ring 10.

to expand, and besistance and detent ring 10 is fitted, said The tubular member 34 is provided inrear of the groove 12 with a second inner annular groove 13 hav1ng square shoulders. fir1ng p1n 1s normallyset forwardly so that the ring 10 springs or expands into the groove 12, thereby holding the firing pin in safety or disarmed position, with the point 8 retracted within or in front of the opening surrounded by the lip 5. When the shell is fired, the firing pin receives a severe set back, due*to inertia, and the pressure of the rlng 10 against the tapered wall of the groove 12 will forcibly contract said resistance and detent ring the groove 12 and move along the interior surface of the tubular member 34 until the plunger 7strikes and is stopped by the hp 5, in which event the ring 10 is in a. po-

s1t1on to snap or spring into the groove 13,

thereby locking the firing pin in armed 0- sltion, since the ring 10 cannot move wardly out of the groove 13. When the plunger 7 seats against the lip 5, the point 8 of the firing pin is projected from said lip, to provide a posltive functioning of the dev1ce, when the shell strikes the object fired at.

The fulminate primer. cap is mounted movably within the housing 1, and for this purpose, a cylindrical primer casing 14 is slldable snugly within, the housing 1, and is normally moved to the rear end of said houslng by means of a coiled wire expansion spring 15 of suitable tension disposed with- 1n the housing, one end convolution of the sprlng seating against the flange 2 around the boss 4 and the other end convolution of the spring bearing against the forward portion of the casing 14 which is provided with The therefrom, which, after the closing ring 17 is applied, is spun into position overlapping said ring for holding it in place. Y

In order for the casing'14 to hold the fulminatepriming cap, the forward edge of the casing 14 has an inturned annular flange 20, and 'a hollow primer screw 21 is threaded forwardly into the casing '14 and holds the fulminate priming cap 22 of any suitable construction. The cap 22 is fitted withinthe hollow screw 21 and bears against the flange 20, it beingheld within the screw byan inturned annular flange 23 with which the screw is provided at its rear edge, the'cap 22 23, and when the cap is set off, this'will cause the explosion through "the baseof the fuse rearwardly" to the explosive charge of the shell. Y

When the firing pin is insafe'ty or disarmed position, as seen in-Fig. 2, the .shell or projectlle can be stored or handled in perfect safety, because'e'ven thoughthe casing 14 may be moved forwardly during thejostling or handlingof the shell, the point 8 of the firing pin; is retracted and cannot be engaged by-the cap22, and the firing pin cannot move to armed position'unless subjected to such pressure as it would not receive during the ordinary handlingof the shell, even should the shell be dropped. This provides for perfect safety, since the resistance or detent ring 10 will hold the firing pin in retracted position. The housing 1 is sufficiently substantial to withstand the side blow, should'the device be applied to a frail fuse body chamber, such as when applied to an aluminum fuse body.

When the shell is fired, the firing pin will be set back, the ring 10 being contracted by the cam action .against the tapered wall of the groove 12, and snapping intothe groove 13 when the firing pin reaches armed position. Although the resistance of the ring 10 is suflicient to hold the firing pin ordinarily in safety or disarmed position during the handling or storage of the shell, it is not suflicient to resist the strain incident to the firing of the shell, and consequently the firing pin isset back to armed position, thereby 'rendering the functioning'of the device positive when the shell strikes its objective,

in which event the casing 14 will movevforwardly within the housing 1, due to momentum, and against the tension of the spring 13, thereby bringing the fulminate primer cap 22 against the point 8 of the firing ignite the charge.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is 1. A fuse percussion device embodying a Y said tubular member. 7 4 being disposed between the flanges 20 and pin with considerable impact, whereby the flash of the cap will extend directly rearward to housing having a tubular member at its forward end, the rear endofsaid tubular member having an inturned flange, a primer cap carrying member movable forwardly within the housing toward said tubular member, a

firing pin embodying a plunger slidable Y within said tubular member at a point projecting from the plunger and projectable beyond said flange when the firing .pin is set back, and means for holding the plunger in forward disarmed position within the tubular member until firing and for'holdingthe plunger in set back armed position within 2. A fuse percussion device embodying a housing having a tubular member at its forward end projecting within the housing and having an inturned flange. at its rear end, a primer cap carrying-member slidable forwardly within the housing toward said tubular member, a 'coiled' wire expansionspring between said carrying member and the forward end ofr'th'e housing and sur= rounding said tubular-member, a firing pin within said tubular member adapted to be set back and having a'point toproject beyond said flange when set back, and meansfiring, a primer-casing slidable forwardly within the housing towardthe firing .pin, a

hollow screw threaded forwardly into said casing, and a primer cap fitting within the screw, said casing and screw having forward and rear flanges, respectively, between which the cap is disposed; 1

4. A fuse percussion device embodying ahousing, a primer cap carrying member movable forwardly within the housing, a

firing pin adapted-to beset back within the .housing to armed position, the rear edge'of the housing having an annular-flange, and a ring. seating against the rear edge of the a housing within said flange to-limit the rear-' ward movement of said member, said flange beingrspun inwardly to hold the ring in place...

In testimony that claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed'my signature in thepresence of two witnesses; v p WILLIAM L. SIMPSON. Witnesses: Q Y

I HAROLD R. WHITE,

FRED P. BnAoH. 

